Police: Surveillance Video From Restaurant Robbery May Provide Clue in Aaron Vu's Murder
NORTH MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- North Miami Police released surveillance video of a robbery allegedly committed by the same man charged with the murder of 10-year-old Aaron Vu.
The robbery happened at the Royal Castle restaurant in North Miami. Police say you can see Anthawn Ragan Jr. in surveillance video from the robbery at the restaurant.
Miami-Dade Police say Ragan is also the gunman seen in surveillance video from the nail salon shooting that killed Aaron Vu. His face is not covered in either video, but in each video there is another person with him whose face is covered.
What police don't know, in either crime, is the identity of the second robber or whether it might be the same person. In the restaurant robbery, the second robber wore a mask. In the nail salon shooting, the second gunman wore a red shirt over his face.
While investigators continue to search for that second gunman in Aaron Vu's murder, family and friends gathered to say goodbye to the little boy.
A funeral mass for Aaron Vu was held Monday at St. Mark's Roman Catholic Church in Southwest Ranches.
Vu's casket was surrounded by those who loved him as they gathered, filled with inconsolable pain.
"It's a difficult process and it's gonna be a lot of time to heal," said Rom Solomon a neighbor.
Those who knew Aaron described the fifth grader as a fun-loving playful boy.
"Very playful, very nice, he would say hello to everybody and we would just touch his little cheeks," said Jasmine Barclay, also a neighbor.
Solomon added, "He was energetic, he's the life if the party in the neighborhood where we live so it's a sad thing."
Vu was killed last month when two men fired shots during a robbery at his parents nail salon in Northwest Miami-Dade. His father Hai Nam Vu was also shot and is still recovering.
"Why do you have to kill? Stop the killing that's my message these are children they haven't lived any life yet let them live for god sake let them live," implored Barclay.
"While loved ones laid Aaron to rest, his classmates at Northwest Christian Academy returned to school for the first time since their friend was killed."
"We used to sit together. We used to go to PE together. We used to do everything together," said Jaylin Bain, a friend.
One of his best friends remembers the last time he saw Aaron before they went on Thanksgiving break.
"He gave me a big smile and now I will always remember him like that," said Willie Flowers.
"Parents who had a hard time explaining the tragedy to their children are comforted to know grief counselors are on hand to help.
"We're sad, devastated. My son is very upset," explained Qawanda Bain, a parent.
"It's very hard. He's asking questions," Willie Flowers told CBS4's Gaby Fleischman. "He's in a better place."
While family and friends say goodbye, the investigation continues.
Ragan faces several charges including first degree murder with a firearm and armed robbery with a firearm.
If you have any information on the second gunman in Aaron Vu's murder, or the second robber in the North Miami Restaurant Robbery, call Miami-Dade Crimestoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
